Attachment for wagon-beds.



No. 877,535. PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908.

' s. B. WENGER.

ATTACHMENT FOR WAGON BEDS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 16. 1907.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR rns-uomws PETERS Cm, wasumcrou, n. c,

SOLOMON B. WENGER, OF GOSHEN, INDIANA.

ATTACHMENT FOR WAGON-BEDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1908.

Application filed May 16. 1907. Serial No. 373,895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SOLOMON B. WENGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Goshen, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for I/Vagon- Beds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to attachments for wagon beds, and more particularly to a box bed, and my object is-to provide means for converting the box into astock rack, whereby swine, sheep, calves and smaller animals may be transported.

A further object is to provide means for readily attaching the device in position on the bed, and a still further object is to provide means for adjusting the parts of the device, whereby the height of the rack will be increased or decreased.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the usual form of box bed, showing my improved attachment secured thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional View of a portion of the bed and the device secured thereto. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the supporting clips employed in connection with my device. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a washer employed in connection with the device.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the usual form of box bed employed in connection with vehicles for hauling various articles and 2 indicates the side boards usually employed in connection with the bed for increasing the holding capacity thereof, and in order to secure the side boards in position on the bed, cleats 3 are secured at one end to the side boards 2 and enter clips 4 on the bed proper.

It has been the custom heretofore to prepare aseparate bed, or rack, for hauling stock, therebynecessitating the changing of the beds for the different haulings, as well as adding the expense of making the rack, and in order to obviate this result, I provide means for converting the box .bed into a rack, and to this end the side boards 2 are elevated a distance above the bed 1, so as to increase the depth of the bed, and at the same time provide a breathing space between the bed and side boards, and in order to hold the side boards in their adjusted position, I provide a plurality of standards 5, which are provided at their central portions with longitudinally disposed slots 6, in which are seated shanks 7 of. my improved form of supporting clip 8, the said clip comprising a base portion 9 and a wing portion 10, the shank 7 being secured to one edge of the base portion 9 and extending upwardly therefrom, and is provided at its upper end with a horizontally disposed shaft 11, which is exteriorly threaded to receive a wing nut 12.

In practice I employ two of the supporting clips for each standard, one at each end thereof, and in applying the same to the bed, the clip at the lower end of the standard engages the upper edge of the side wall of the bed, while the clip at the upper end of the standard receives the lower edge of the side board and when the clips are properly engaged with their respective portions of the bed, the wing nuts 12 are directed inwardly on the shaft 11 until the clips are positively clamped in position on their respective portions of the bed, and in order to increase the gripping qualities of the clips, I interpose between the face of the standard and the wing nut 12 a washer 13, said washer being provided with extensions or fingers 4, which extend over and form a firm bearing upon the face of the standards, and in order to prevent the washer from rotating with the turning of the Wing nut, the inner face thereof is provided with a plurality of serrations 15, which engage the standard and hold the washer from rotating.

The standards 5 are preferably constructed from wood, although the same may be constructed of metal, if preferred, and when constructed of wood, the ends thereof are reinforced by directing bolts 16 therethrough, and the clips are confined to their respectlve ends of the slot 6, by securing a bar 17 across one face of the standard at the longitudinal center of the slot 6, and while the bar holds the clips to the respective ends of the slot, it serves to reinforce the central portion of the standards.

The supporting clips and parts carried thereby are formed of metal, and by extending the shank 7 and wings 10 upwardly from opposite edges of the base 9 and extending the shaft 11 at right angles thereto and throu h the slot in the standard, it will be seen t at when the wing nut is,directed onto the shaft, the ed e of the base 9 containing the shank 7 will 'orm a pivot or fulcrum for the clip and cause the free edge of the wing 10 to move inwardly and positively engage the portion of the bed entering the clip, and the further the wing nut is directed onto the shaft, the more firmly the free end of the wing will be engaged with the bed.

It will now be seen that I have provided a very cheap and economical means for supporting the side boards above the bed, whereby the capacity of the bed will be increased,

and at the same time will leave a space between the lower edge of the side board and the upper edge of the bed proper, so that the animal confined in the bed can readily breathe.

It will further be seen that the device can be quickly secured in position or removed from the bed, and when the device is properly secured to the bed, a rigid construction is provided, the side boards being held as firmly in place as when the cleats are in engagement with the cli s on the body of the bed.

What I c aim is 1. The combination with a bed of the class described, and side boards therefor; of means to hold said side boards above the bed, comprising standards having a slot therein, supporting clips at each end of said standard adapted to engage respectively the walls of the bed and side boards, and means to direct said clips into positive engagement with the bed and side boards, respectively.

2. The herein described means for supporting side boards a distance above the Wagon bed, comprising a standard, having a porting side boards, comprising standards,

having slots longitudinally therein, supporting clips for said standards, consisting of base portions, a shank at one edge of said base portion, and a-win'g at the opposite edge thereof, a shaft at the upper end of said shank and at right angles thereto, said shank and shaft extending into said slot, a washer having serrations on one face thereof adapted to extend over said shaft, and a win nut for said shaft, whereby, when the nut is turned onto said shaft, the wing on the supporting clip will impinge the object engaged thereby.

'4. The herein described supporting device comprising a standard having a longitudinal slot therein, a supporting clip for each end of said slot, one edge of said clip being adapted to bear against one face of the standard and means to clampsaid clips against an object, whereby the object will be impinged between the clip and standard.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SOLOMON B. WENGER. 

